Portable personal monitor device and associated methods

Abstract

The technology relates to portable personal monitor device and associated methods. In particular, the technology provides for improving the capability of personal monitor device systems by enabling functions such as two-way communications from the personal monitor; associating possible threats with one or more locations; and dynamically determining safe locations and potential evacuation routes. Also described herein are monitors which improve the detection of possible threats or risks by allowing a base unit to be used with various replacement sensor modules.

1 . A portable personal monitor device, the device comprising:
 a location detector configured to determine the location of the device;   one or more threat sensors configured to measure environmental or user parameters and to activate an alarm if the measured environmental or user parameters go beyond a predetermined range;   a controller configured to associate one or more possible threats with one or more locations, wherein the controller is configured to provide an indication of the possible threats based on the determined location of the device.   
     
     
         2 . The monitor device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to notify the user if the one of more threat sensors are not configured to detect all of the possible threats associated with the determined location of the device. 
     
     
         3 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to associate a possible threat with a location based on one or more of:
 information received from a remote device and detecting a threat at a particular determined location.   
     
     
         4 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the location detector comprises a GPS module. 
     
     
         5 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more threat sensor is configured to sense one or more of the following environmental parameters:
 concentration of a particular gas, airflow, temperature of the environment, humidity, radiant heat and light intensity.   
     
     
         6 . The monitor device according to  claim 1  wherein the one or more threat sensor is configured to sense one or more of the following user parameters:
 motion of the user, orientation of the user, heart-rate of the user, time since user last initiated a report signal and temperature of the user. 
 
     
     
         7 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to activate and deactivate particular threat sensors based on the possible threats associated with the determined location. 
     
     
         8 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors of the device can be replaced with another sensor configured to measure a different environmental parameter; and the controller is configured to recognise which environmental parameters can be measured by the attached sensors. 
     
     
         9 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a two-way voice communication. 
     
     
         10 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to send an alarm signal to other users in the vicinity in response to an alarm being activated. 
     
     
         11 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured automatically to accept a two-way communication initiated by the remote device. 
     
     
         12 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to associate a particular threat with locations corresponding to an area or a volume. 
     
     
         13 . The monitor device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to store an association between one or more possible threats with one or more locations in advance of a threat being detected in the one or more locations. 
     
     
         14 . The monitor device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to store an association between one or more possible threats with one or more locations independently of a threat being currently detected in the one or more locations. 
     
     
         15 . The monitor device according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to store an association between one or more possible threats with one or more locations in response to a user interaction. 
     
     
         16 . The monitor device of  claim 15 , wherein the area or volume is determined based on one or more of:
 distance to a particular location;   prevailing environmental conditions;   physical barriers or impediments; and   nature of the threat.   
     
     
         17 . The monitor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to change configuration settings based on the determined location. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 determining the location of a portable personal monitor device as in  claim 1 ;   measuring environmental or user parameters;   activating an alarm if the measured environmental or user parameters go beyond a predetermined range;   associating one or more possible threats with one or more locations; and,   providing an indication of the possible threats based on the determined location of the device.   
     
     
         19 . A computer program comprising computer program code configured to, when run on a portable personal monitor device as in  claim 1 :
 enable determining the location of the device;   enable measuring environmental or user parameters;   enable activating an alarm if the measured environmental or user parameters go beyond a predetermined range;   enable associating one or more possible threats with one or more locations; and,   enable providing an indication of the possible threats based on the determined location of the device.